


After Noon's.

by Kivan



Series: From the Fires [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Future Fic, Heh Maybe, Lack of Communication, Lovers to Friends, M/M, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 06:59:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4212300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivan/pseuds/Kivan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Sorry, man. Thought I was reading something there."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Noon's.

Afternoon training wasn't new for them. Not really.

But then again, after being gone for fifteen months, everything with Tim felt new.

Cassie said she hated how his "old smile" was back. Kon knew she meant the smile that overtook his face when Tim would start the banter between them. But he and Cassie had been over before Gotham's wall had even come down. They'd barely last a month.

Before, when they had been _them_ , Tim and Kon would practice drills in the last afternoon, four days out of the week. When Red Robin had asked him to restart the tradition the weekend prior Kon hadn't been able to think of anything he'd rather be doing.

Part of him wonders if it's healthy, still being as in love with the other man as he is. Sometimes though, he can see it in the lines of Tim's face, knows he can remember _them_ as well as Kon can. Because when they meet each other turn for turn, hit for hit- Kon _can feel it in his bones_ that they work.

And it's not the first time, that he turns and Red Robin is right there, and with a perfect shove he's against the walls, trapped behind Kon's body. Kon feels his breathing catch, can smell Tim's along his cheeks, knows they're both fixating on each other's lips, lost in memories.

But just as he begins to move in, Tim lands a hard shove against his shoulders, and Kon stumbles back from the basic momentum of it. Seeing the sharp lines of shock that quickly overtake the other man's face, Kon immediately has his hands up in mock surrender.

"Whoa," he chokes, "Sorry, man. Thought I was reading something there?"

Tim's hands quickly slap onto his face, covering any signs he may be giving off. "No, you weren't wrong," he gasps, and Kon can hear the raw shock in his tone. "I'm sorry. I, just." He stops, hands falling again. "Shit, Kon." His whole face looks more akin to terrified than sorry though. "Shit. I can't do this."

"Do, what," Kon asks, forcing himself to laugh it off. Denying that his chest is on fire.

Rejection sometimes feels like dying, to Kon. He's honestly not had enough experience to deal with it well.

"This is not a thing anymore," Tim snaps, quickly gesturing between them. " _Us_ , this isn't- it _can't_ be. I can't fall back into something like this."

"Something like what," Kon asks, bites out even. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Shit, I don’t mean it like that Kon," Tim growls back. "I meant _us_. Just how it was. _Depending_ on you, _falling_ into you, metaphorically and physically. I forgot how to be without you for a while and it terrified me."

"After you left me, you mean," he snaps, still hurt.

" _Yes_ , Kon," Tim yells suddenly, "After I _left_ you. To protect my home. To help protect my family, my friends that got locked inside a burning city. Are going to fucking blame me.

"I was used to falling without a back-up plan. Because you were my backup plans. And then you were gone. I almost died, Kon. Three times," his voice shakes suddenly and Kon forces his rage down, eyes closing and instinctually focusing on Tim's heartbeat. It's a sharp, stressed staccato, his breath raging around it. "I almost died in there.” He sounds like he’s _dying_ and Kon can feel his eyes sting. “And you wouldn't have known for months."

"And do you think that wouldn't have bothered me, too," he grits back, eyes still closed, hearing still focused, as Tim's heart hiccups at his words and his breathing hitches. He might be crying, Kon can't force himself to look.

"I know it would have," Tim gasps. "And I'm sorry, but remembering that only made it that much harder." He pauses, swallowing. After a deep, much more put-together breath, he continues, "I had to relearn to fight on my own for a while, and it sucked, Kon. And I did miss you, but-"

"You learned to fly on your own, didn't you," Kon asks, knowing the answer. Remembering the first time he'd seen Tim's new glider wings- and that all he could think was that Tim had even learned to fall without him, and how much that had hurt him.

"Yeah, among other things," he huffs. "And I can't make myself apologize for that. But I don't want to lose you. Okay?" He sighs, deeply, and Kon looks back at him finally, watches him wipe his hands over his face. "I want my friend back, at least. Can we do that?"

Kon watches him for a long moment. Taking in the slope of his shoulders the stress in his face. Behind the domino, Kon knows his blue eyes have to be tired, defeated.

"Yeah, man," Kon sighs back quickly, forcing his voice level. "Friends." Tim’s shoulders ease a bit with his acceptance. "Just, give me some time." Tim nods slowly, resigned.

"Sure thing."


End file.
